Hear now the wondrous mystery of the Lord’s manifestation, O noble one. In the unfolding of creation, the Supreme Being divides himself into four aspects. One portion becomes Time itself, another comprises all living beings, and thus, in the act of creation, he appears in a fourfold form, radiating the quality of passion. By one aspect, Vishnu remains as the eternal preserver, sustaining the world; by another, he assumes the forms of the Manus and other progenitors; by a third, he is Time, the inexorable flow that governs all. By yet another portion, he abides within all beings, maintaining their very existence through the power of goodness, ever present as the Supreme Person of the world. But when the end of an age approaches, the Lord, though unborn, relies on the quality of darkness and becomes Rudra in one aspect. In another, he is Agni, Yama, and other deities of dissolution; yet another portion is Time, and another is all living beings. Thus, in the act of destruction, O Brahman, the Great Soul divides himself into four, and this division persists at all times. Brahma, Daksha and the rest, Time, and all living beings—these are the powers of Hari, the causes behind the world’s creation. For preservation, Vishnu, the Manus and others, Time, and all beings are his powers, maintaining the world’s order. For dissolution, Rudra, Time and Death, and all beings are the fourfold powers of Janardana. From the beginning of the world, through its middle, and up to dissolution, creation is performed by the Creator—Brahma—along with Marici and others, and by all beings as well. At first, Brahma creates; then Marici and the other sages bring forth offspring, and at every moment, beings are born anew. Yet, without Time, neither Brahma, nor the lords of creatures, nor any living being can accomplish creation. This fourfold division, O Maitreya, is taught likewise for preservation and for dissolution, and applies to the Lord in every phase. Whatever is created by any being born of the quality of goodness, O twice-born, all that is truly the body of Hari. Whatever living thing, whether stationary or moving, is destroyed, that destructive form is the fierce aspect of Janardana. Thus, Janardana is the creator, the sustainer, and the devourer of the entire world. At the times of creation, preservation, and dissolution, the Lord’s activity unfolds in three ways, according to the play of the three qualities. Yet, his supreme state is beyond all qualities—a greatness beyond measure. That supreme state is composed of pure knowledge, all-pervading, self-aware, and incomparable. Even this state has four forms, which are the true nature of the Supreme Self. Maitreya, eager for understanding, then asked: “O sage, explain to me properly the fourfold nature of that which becomes Brahman, and what is called the supreme state.” Parashara replied: “O Maitreya, I have described the cause, the means among all things, and the object to be attained by one who seeks fulfillment. For the yogin who desires liberation, the means are breath-control and other spiritual practices; the object to be attained is the supreme Brahman, from which there is no return. The knowledge that supports the means to liberation is the first distinction of Brahman. The knowledge that supports the object—the Brahman sought for release from suffering—is the second. But the non-dual knowledge, in which there is no distinction between means and object, is the third aspect. The special feature of these three kinds of knowledge is shown by their negation, just as the true nature of the self is revealed. This supreme reality is actionless, indescribable, consisting only of pervasiveness, incomparable, and the object of self-realization, characterized solely by existence. It is tranquil, fearless, pure, difficult to comprehend, and independent. This knowledge of Vishnu, composed of knowledge itself, is called Brahman. When knowledge ceases, yogins enter dissolution; having abandoned the pull of worldly existence, they attain seedless absorption, O twice-born. In this way, the supreme state called Vishnu is pure, eternal, all-pervading, imperishable, and free from all that is to be rejected. That supreme Brahman, which the yogin attains and from which he does not return, is reached when all demerit has ceased, when afflictions are exhausted, and purity is complete. That Brahman has two forms: with form and formless; these are the perishable and the imperishable, abiding in all beings. The imperishable is that supreme Brahman; the perishable is this entire world. Just as the rays of a fire, though the fire is in one place, spread out, so too is this whole world the power of the Supreme Brahman. Even among these rays, because of nearness and distance, there are differences of much and little; such is the distinction in that power, O Maitreya, as in the rays. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva are the chief powers of Brahman; from them arise the gods, and from them, the lesser ones like Daksha. Then humans, cattle, wild animals, birds, reptiles, and also plants, shrubs, and the like—all of lesser and still lesser kinds—came into being. This imperishable, eternal reality, protected by the great sages, appears and disappears, undergoes birth and destruction, in various ways. Vishnu, full of all powers, is the supreme form of Brahman; his embodied form is contemplated by yogis at the beginning of their practice. That is the great yoga with support, established with seed, in which, O sage, when the mind is undisturbed and properly concentrated, realization arises. He is the supreme, immediately following the supreme powers of Brahman—the embodied Brahman, Hari, who is the essence of all Brahman. In him, this entire universe is woven and interwoven, O sage; therefore, he is the world within this world, and he is the entire universe itself.